Lynnwood council to revisit retail cannabis, residency requirements for elected officials May 5

The Lynnwood City Council will discuss retail cannabis sales and residency requirements for elected officials at its work session on May 5. Councilmember George Hurst’s efforts to repeal the cannabis sales ban, which has been in place since 2012, may lead to a critical vote by late September. City staff have provided recommendations on how to proceed with the repeal. Meanwhile, concerns about Council Vice President Josh Binda's residency arose after his voter registration was classified as inactive, prompting public calls for his resignation. The current Municipal Code does not specify residency requirements for elected officials, although state law requires candidates to be residents for at least a year.

Binda claims he maintained residency in Lynnwood despite living with family members after an eviction. This situation has led the council to consider changes to clarify residency rules for elected officials. The meeting will take place at Lynnwood City Hall and will be live-streamed for public access.